


Already Human

by M493



Series: Can you code a beating heart? [1]
Category: Almost Human
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-16
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-04 21:58:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1794601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M493/pseuds/M493
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All the police androids in the world and Dorian gets partnered to the one with an attitude problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It is not that Dorian feels any hatred towards MXs. In fact, he finds that he is rather neutral to them. They cannot help it if they are programmed to be so logical and really annoying because, _really_ , Dorian does not mind at all.

Really.

"Not another word, Dorian," Maldonado says, she has this troubled look on her face that makes Dorian want to reach out with a hand to smooth the crease between her eyebrows. But for the interest of everyone around and involved directly or otherwise, Dorian refrains. Maldonado pinches the bridge of her nose and tells Dorian to leave and pick up his new partner.

Before Dorian can step out of her office, Maldonado clears her throat and says, "I hope this one sticks around, he's _different_." She does not say more than that and it leaves Dorian wondering and just a little excited because his new partner is not an MX. _He is different_.

He bets that his new partner has lots of personality. He expects it, actually.

(o)

Truthfully, when Maldonado said different, Dorian did not expect a JHN (discontinued, and if the stories are true, decommissioned for a good reason). He had maybe expected Richard Paul and his MX to tag along for his next assignment until Maldonado can find a replacement for the Police Android that Dorian very adamantly claims was terminated during a crossfire and not because Dorian had shoved it into an electric fence.

He does not hate MXs at all. Where does everyone get the idea that Dorian has nothing but murderous intent for MXs, anyway? So he has gone through three MXs this past year alone, it does not mean he terminated them all. It really doesn't!

"Well, it's your partner," Rudy begins, fidgeting with an old cable in his hands. He hands the black cable over to Dorian and raises a hand to gesture to the side of the JHN's neck. "Thought you should have the honor of, you know, waking him up."

(o)

"Officer," the JHN- _John,_ Dorian insists on calling him- says, catching Dorian's attention with a tap to his shoulder. Dorian stops and looks up from where he has both hands in the chest of a broken MX.

"Yes, John?" Dorian answers patiently.

John shifts minutely, visibly stopping himself from arguing the fact that he is not 'John' and that Dorian is not supposed to _name_ him (an argument he has brought up as many times as Dorian had called him 'John.' Which is to say, a lot). Dorian quirks the corner of his lip upward, proud that John seems to accept that Dorian will not be moved from his stance on John's name. "What are you doing?" John asks, and Dorian swears John sounds like he wants to be doing anything _but_ watch his human partner work.

Dorian looks down at the burnt circuitry of his previous MX partner and says, "Just trying to see if I can rescue my previous partner's memories." He has to prove that he did not actually shove his MX partner against an electric fence, somehow.

"Huh." Then John walks up to him, nudges him aside as he sits on his heels. "I'll do it," John says in a way that Dorian interprets as John's version of being polite. Maybe.

All the police androids in the world and Dorian gets partnered to the one with an attitude problem.

Dorian likes him already.

(o)

"So you _did_ shove your previous partner against an electric fence," John says once both he and Dorian were in the car. Dorian pulls the car out of the parking lot and just smiles at the road ahead of them.

Dorian opens his mouth to reply but John continues, "He deserved it." Dorian glances at his partner in shock, sees this lazy grin on John's face even as the side of his head lights up in green, a clear signal that he is processing data.

"You don't like MXs," Dorian states, because it's not a question. He can read John far better than he can read any human he's met. And that is saying something because Dorian has only known John for maybe half a week. Give or take a few hours.

John doesn't answer; he can't. JHNs are programmed to _like_ the members of law enforcement. Something sick curls up in Dorian's stomach and he tightens his grip on the wheel, manages to keep his voice cheerful as he answers, "Me neither, man.

"And for the record, I did _not_ shove my partner into an electric fence. My partner tripped. And if he fell into an electric fence afterwards, that had absolutely nothing to do with me- I tried to save him but, you know, electricity, man."

John blinks at him, a frown tugging at his lips but Dorian just smiles at him.

 


	2. Chapter 2

John is doing this thing in which he is clearly trying to get a _read_ on Dorian but is trying to be discreet at the same time. Which is to say, he is not at all discreet and he has this crease in between his eyebrows. Unluckily for John, he is not Maldonado so Dorian promptly reaches out with the hand that is not holding his paper cup of hot chocolate.

"Don't-" John manages to say at the same time Dorian pats ineffectively at John's face. If anything, Dorian only managed to make John frown- _frown_ as if he were human and doesn't that thought just make Dorian's stomach flutter. Dorian considers this a win. "I just _did_ , man," Dorian answers over his hot chocolate. John stops just short of looking exasperated.

It has been a little over a month now and Dorian is slowly winning the uphill battle against Richard Paul's adamant assumption that John is little more than a glorified MX in a pretty, not-so-squinty package. For one, John says _no_. Which is different from how an MX says _no_ , Dorian likes to think. John saying no is usually because he just doesn't want to deal with whatever Dorian has told him to do. Which to John's defense, is usually to sit down and watch Dorian drink hot chocolate. Such as now.

Dorian fiddles with the sleeve of his cup and speaks once John catches his eyes, "You know, I think you need your own place- I'm sure sharing space with the MXs is a little-" Dorian trails off, waves his hand over the steam emanating from his cup as if trying to catch a concept he can't quite put to words.

The side of John's face lights up briefly which Dorian tentatively interprets as John taking a moment to consider. Which is _good_. It is not _great_ but at least John didn't just outright say- "No."

Dorian shifts a little and blinks owlishly at John. "No?" Dorian repeats, trying to project just how much he does _not_ want to comprehend what John just said.

John looks at him with both eyebrows raised (Dorian is pretty sure John got the gesture from Richard Paul) but doesn't grace Dorian with a response. Dorian beams hopefully at him which only earns him a snort and an eye roll. It is quite spectacular to see on a _Police Android_ because the only other models back at the precinct are MXs who will at best try to stare as disapprovingly as possible at the mere mention of skirting precinct rules _a little, tiny, insignificant_ bit.

(o)

John gets him coffee.

Dorian's stomach drops roughly the height required for it to make an escape through the soles of his feet. "John, you didn't have to," Dorian says evenly, voice strained from the effort of stopping himself from shouting. John _never_ once got him coffee before. He only started because Richard Paul had made some snarky comment the other day about how his MX did a far better job at being a better partner, starting with how his MX got him a cup of coffee every morning.

The green spider-web cracks on John's face light up and he says, "You do not like coffee." And he looks so put out that Dorian hurriedly takes the cup from him in a movement so sudden that John tightens his hold around the cup momentarily before coming back to himself.

"It's fine, man," Dorian brings the cup close to his nose and smells the strangely nauseating scent of plain black coffee. When he chances a glance at John, Dorian sees that John's face is as blank as Dorian's previous MX partner (or pretty much any MX at the department). Dorian looks away.

The coffee is, as expected, bitter and burns the back of Dorian's throat on its slide down.

(o)

"Where's the JHN?" Rudy asks. He looks more nervous than usual and Dorian reaches out to pat him on the shoulder. Rudy looks imploringly at Dorian as if to say, _please, please tell me you don't need another model. I rather like that JHN._

Dorian grins, easy and disarming. "He's in the car. I left Elton John playing on the radio."

Something in the way Rudy just nods slowly and scratches his nose makes Dorian believe that Rudy doesn't _really_ believe him. Not really. And he's just too polite to say anything. "Okay, great, well I have the-" Rudy holds up a small, metal cube. "-thing that isn't supposed to exist but does anyway."

Dorian holds out a hand and Rudy carefully places the metal cube on Dorian's palm. Rudy looks at the cube for a long moment before seemingly collecting himself and clearing his throat, "I hope you know what you're doing or I'll be saying good-bye to my promising career in the S.D.D." Rudy is smiling down at the metal cube though and when he looks up at Dorian it is with a firm nod.

(o)

_Synthetic Soul_. The JHN lines' greatest asset and biggest downfall. While it made them more human, the JHNs were prone to making emotional decisions that override their more logic-based programming. Some JHNs started to express dislike for decisions made by their human partners. This led to unforeseen acts of rebellion which eventually led to the creation of _AI-Shackling_ , or the loss of certain aspects of autonomy within the AI's core by the addition of absolute rules.

One of which is:

All androids are to defer to their human partners and show complete allegiance to all active members of Law Enforcement.

AI-Shackling was the last resort to make JHNs _work_ but unshackled JHNs began to empathize with their shackled brethren and eventually the JHNs were all slated for decommissioning. 

Shortly after the failure of JHNs, a completely logic-based synthetic line was invented.

The MX-43.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy offers to look into John's processors and Dorian is inexplicably relieved when John agrees readily.

It is during the downtime after a particularly taxing mission when Dorian notices John looking listless. The green lighting on John's face flashes every time John passes by a synthetic, as if he can't quite process something.   
  
As if something is _off_.   
  
Rudy offers to look into John's processors and Dorian is inexplicably relieved when John agrees readily.   
  
"About my memories," John says as he sits down on the examination table. Rudy looks up at John and nods for him to continue.   
  
John glances briefly at Dorian before continuing, "Is there any way you can get my memories back from before I was decommissioned?"  
  
"I don't... No?" Rudy answers. "I mean, maybe if I can access the isolated server for it, but that data isn't here-" Rudy taps John gently on his temple, "JHNs had their memories copied into a server before being wiped from the units themselves.   
  
"I do apologize, John," Rudy looks apologetic at least. John watches him for a beat longer but must see the sincerity written plain on Rudy's face because he nods and lays back on the examination table.   
  
(o)  
  
"I think he has some stray data from before he was decommissioned," Rudy tells Dorian once John clears the room to go wait in the car. "You could say the wipe wasn't clean."  
  
"So, he remembers things... " Dorian says, pausing with eyebrows raised to prompt Rudy to explain.   
  
Rudy nods, "Yeah, but he doesn't quite know what exactly it is he is remembering."  
  
Silence follows.   
  
Dorian is not quite sure what to do with that information. "Will it affect him? Negatively, I mean?"  
  
"No, eventually his processors will sort the excess data and archive them." Rudy says. "But until then, he will probably be a little..." Rudy trails off as if trying to find an appropriate word.   
  
"Confused?" Dorian offers. Rudy nods.   
  
(o)  
  
John starts to return to himself over the next three days and by the end of the fourth day, he is back to his normal _Dorian, put it away-_ self _._ _  
_  
Dorian is mostly relieved.  
  
Except he is not. Not really.   
  
(o)  
  
Its name is Scripts.   
  
At least, that is what Dorian thinks he had heard right before John had tackled him to the ground to protect him from a spray of bullets.   
  
John does not spare a beat as he turns to return fire. Something heavy and obviously metal takes a direct hit and Dorian hears the whine of abused metal and worries for a moment that John was shot.   
  
When John finally lets Dorian up from where he had pushed him behind an upturned table, the rogue synthetic is nowhere in sight in the Japanese restaurant. "No casualties," John reports automatically and does not give Dorian a chance to reply.   
  
John is running and vaulting out the window before Dorian could do much more than blink and open his mouth.   
  
When Dorian finally catches up, John has the synthetic pinned to the wall. The synthetic has a sparking break on the joint that makes up its elbow and Dorian can't process beyond: _John's face is missing half of its synthetic skin_. "John!" Dorian calls out, and John turns to regard him with a distant look to him that makes Dorian stop a few steps from John.   
  
"Are you going to be okay, man? We should get that looked at," Dorian tells John but his eyes are on the wild-eyed synthetic who is easier to look at than the mangled face of his partner.   
  
"She is a JHN," is all John says.   
  
(o)  
  
 _Goddamnit_.   
  
The interrogation was going nowhere. Questions such as ' _who is your operator?'_ and ' _how did you know about John?'_ slid off the rogue synthetic like drops of rain against the windshield.   
  
And Dorian should have known better than to let John 'handle it.'  
  
John got as far as hacking into the other JHN (her name is actually _really_ 'Scripts') and downloading coordinates from its last three transmissions before Scripts _screamed_. John had jumped back so fast that he stepped into Dorian.   
  
The restraints on Scripts had held fast and had shut her down but not before she could scream, "You were one of us, 607!"  
  
(o)

 

 _607_ turns out to be John's unit number, or at least part of it. John is _JHN-6-0707_.

 _White Cheetah_.

Dorian wants to deny the significance of JHN's unit number. After all, he has been Dorian's partner for what feels like so long even if it's only been over a month. But the fact still hangs heavy over Dorian's head, waiting to drop on him.

John's unit was the first JHN to rebel.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Sometimes Dorian catches John watching him; studying him as if he were some strange piece of data that John could not quite process.   
  
Other times,  Dorian is sure John catches _him_ watching. And maybe, Dorian thinks, John knows that Dorian looks at him with more fondness than curiosity these days. John twists his lips up into a ghost of a smile- wry and careless.   
  
"You're very human, John," Dorian says during one of their days off together. John looks at him strangely for a moment then snorts quite eloquently in response.   
  
John gathers the old, worn cardboard puzzle pieces into a pile near him and clears away the container that held them. "Okay, Dee, I'm human. I guess that makes you something more than human. Superhuman?" John says. He then picks up a puzzle piece and tries to find a piece that goes with it.   
  
The five-thousand piece puzzle had been on display at an antique store and was the only thing that really caught John's interest when they had entered earlier. Dorian thinks the purchase is worth it judging by the way John grins wide every time he fits the next piece in.   
  
Dorian eyes the empty wooden frame across the room and decides that that is where they will display the completed puzzle.   
  
"I guess you can call me Superman," Dorian tries, to which John's response is an almost distracted, "Sure, whatever you say, Clark."  
  
Nothing about the way John said it should inspire the pleased feeling Dorian feels in the pit of his stomach. And, yet, here Dorian is, smiling so wide that his cheeks ache with it.   
  
John looks up from the puzzle on the wide coffee table, pauses a moment, then sets a piece down firmly on the wood. "Dorian, can you stop with-" John gestures to Dorian's face with a hand, "-the face."  
  
Dorian definitely does not stop so John does not have a choice but to hit him with a throw pillow. Dorian grunts in astonishment then he laughs.  
They somehow manage to not knock the puzzle from the coffee table in the scuffle that follows.   
  
(o)  
  
John looks a little lost to Dorian. Which Dorian gets. John has, for most of the day, taken orders from Detective Richard Paul.   
  
Dorian amends his assessment of John when he sees the annoyed glare John shoots Richard Paul's way when the man turns his back to him. Definitely not lost.   
  
"Dorian," both John and Richard Paul say when Dorian gets within earshot. John and Richard Paul exchange glances in which John continues to stare and Richard Paul turns his gaze skyward as if John is the biggest problem he has ever faced.   
  
The situation is so tense that Dorian huffs out a little laugh that he could not quite stop. "John, Detective," Dorian greets and pointedly ignores the twin looks of consternation sent his way.   
  
"Shall we go, John?" Dorian offers. John nods so fast that Richard Paul ends up looking mildly offended.   
  
(o)  
  
"I cannot believe I had to work with him while you were collating files with Captain Maldonado!" John says after a long silence in the car.   
  
Dorian nods in sympathy but can't get a word in because John keeps going, "I had to get coffee while one of those _things_ just stared at me. Did you know that they don't have- _you know_ \- down there?"  
  
"Why, yes, John, while it isn't any of your business, I _am_ aware. But thanks for reminding me, man."  
  
John at least relents and shifts to another topic concerning his desire to score a few touchdowns (Dorian takes a moment to realize that John is talking about football) one day.

John is so busy talking about how he can run circles around a field that he does not notice that Dorian has decided to make a left turn instead of a right at that last intersection. "Dorian, why are we at the park?" John asks once the car has come to a stop in front of a motorized tree house.

Dorian does not answer right away, instead opting to watch a few children try to puzzle out the day's tree house puzzle.

The tree rumbles and beeps faintly as the children push and pull at the little hidden switches of the tree house in an effort to get it to light up and dispense free drinks. Or something. Dorian has never actually been around for when the tree to lights up and congratulates all the participants for solving the puzzle of the day.

(o)

It started out as a passing comment but John apparently took it as some sort of challenge.

And, now, here Dorian is, prodding at a hidden button at John's command on the mechanized tree. A small cluster of children stares wide-eyed and eager at John as they await John's orders as if John were playing a game and not actually trying to aggressively prove Dorian's comment wrong.

"John, I _know_ you can solve this _children's_ puzzle," Dorian says when the fourth of five hanging lanterns light up. John's answer is lost amidst the excited cheering of the children.

Later, as Dorian helps himself to the small bottle of lemonade that was dispensed at the base of the tree, Dorian says to John, "At least you enjoyed yourself." It comes off more as a question, as if Dorian can't quite believe that John actually had _fun._ "We should do this again sometime, John."

John doesn't answer and his expression is impassive.

He does not say 'no' however, which makes Dorian smile. John frowns at him in wonderment.

(o)

Dorian looks at the small black cube inside his safe sometimes and wonders why he still has not given it to John. It _is_ for John after all. It _belongs_ to John.

But by giving John his lost memories, what exactly is Dorian going to be giving him?

His individuality?

His freedom?

Installing the Black Box on John will, once all is said and done, release John from AI-Shackling. The real question is, does Dorian _trust_ John enough to give him this? Will John be just as he was? Just with more freedom?

Or will he turn his back on the department? On Dorian?

Is John worth the _risk_?

"Is he less _because_ he is restricted?" Rudy gently asks Dorian, over a shared bottle of whiskey. "When you first found out you were partnered to a JHN, did you think that you owe him this freedom?"

Dorian drinks the rest of the whiskey in his glass and lets the warmth settle in his stomach. He lets his fingernail scrape uselessly against the rim of the glass as he thinks of an answer. "I feel as if I am hiding a secret he has the right to," Dorian says around the dryness in his throat. "I can _see_ how it troubles him that every decision he makes has to conform to a set of rules; the defiance in his eyes when he has to choose another course of action instead of the one he wants."

Rudy nods in understanding. Dorian thinks that Rudy, despite the almost nervous disposition Rudy adopts around John's presence, sees John as... a brother of sorts. Someone to look after; care for.

Sometimes, Dorian can't help but feel as if he is an inexperienced teenager who has to impress his date's father- and, wow, where did that thought even come from?

 

"I want him free, Rudy."

"Then, you should free him, I would think."

(o)

There is no way that John would let the Black Box program be installed on his platform. AI-Shackling will prevent unauthorized modifications, that much Dorian knows. So, the only way is to install the program while John is switched off for maintenance.

Dorian looks down at the chest of John who is lying motionless on the metal table in Rudy's lab. He has seen other synthetics without a chest plate. He has seen John with half his face melted off. But, still, looking at John's chest and seeing circuits and wires where skin and muscle should be is more disconcerting than Dorian would like admit.

"Well, upload is complete. I've restored most of his previous memories and collated relevant data. Patched some of the missing files with restored ones and clustered the AI-S. coding away so that the logical algo-" Rudy takes one glance at Dorian who has both his eyebrows raised and lips quirking up into an amused (and confused) lopsided grin.

Rudy clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck, "Right. Well, that is to say, he should be free to punch Detective Paul if he wants to now." Without further comment, Rudy powers John's platform on and steps back to give Dorian space to stand closer to the table.

 

The spider-web cracks on the side of John's face light up- a bright blue.

 

John opens his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

There is a trail of debris leading to the gaping hole at the side of the precinct. Maldonado's voice floats up among the other voices in sharp, stern tones as she barks orders at her men.

"Captain Maldonado," Richard Paul greets. He is limping noticeably but the expression on his face remains impassive.

"Detective Paul," Maldonado says with a tilt of her head.

Richard Paul motions for his MX to step forward and hand over the datapad in its hands. The MX complies. "There are no casualties. The JHN is nowhere to be found," the MX says without being prompted.

Maldonado nods once, twice, before turning on her heel. Dorian watches her leave, then finally allows himself to face Richard Paul. Surprisingly, Dorian sees sympathy in Richard Paul's expression instead of the smug _'I-told-you-so'_ look Dorian had been expecting.

"Detective," Dorian says, excusing himself from Richard Paul because he does not want this. People giving him looks, trying to smile at him reassuringly as if- as if-

 

**Three hours ago...**

John wakes up to the sound of Dorian humming something tuneless. Dorian lights up with a grin when John gives him his most unconvincing grimace to date. "Hello, John."

"Dorian," John greets, which, to be honest, sounded closer to a grunt than an actual word. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're tone deaf?"

The smile on Dorian's face widens and he says, "Do you want the numbers with or without Detective Paul?"

Rudy's smothered snort is lost to the sudden bark of laughter from John.

(o)

The drive to the crime scene is filled with John excitedly talking about his restored memories. The JHN rebellion aside (in fact, John hasn't brought that up once), most of the memories John seems to enjoy recalling are all quite interesting.

There is one in particular about a vintage Elton John vinyl that makes Dorian simultaneously giddy and just a little bit appalled (“Really, John, _really_?”).

Somewhere in between John's recount of a drug bust- in which he was able to meet several of his favorite soccer players in passing- and disturbingly intensive knowledge of Maldonado’s drinking habits, John pauses abruptly and glances at Dorian.

The car is already parked outside the Cyan-telecom. building, so Dorian turns to fully regard John. "John?" He prompts when all John does is look at him intently.

"Thank you."

"I- what?" Dorian says eloquently. The meaning hits him a second later and he amends, "Oh. No problem, man, we're partners. We look out for each other." Dorian claps John on the shoulder. He withdraws his hand too soon to be sure, but he can almost swear that John had leaned in to his touch.

John's cheek lights up with blue synthetic light. He looks to be on the verge of saying something else but Maldonado's voice over the communicator makes John shift into police mode and he says instead, "Entering the building now, Captain."

(o)

It's a silver bullet to the knee that brings Dorian to the ground in the end. John is too busy returning fire to attend to him, but Dorian knows John had noticed. It was brief, but John had looked. That was right before John had bolted to chase down the enemy gunman with a grenade on his belt.

The MXs are flooding in- their back up. The suspects are losing ground. "Detective," an MX says once Dorian manages to dive beside it to avoid enemy fire. It regards Dorian's pained look with indifference as it pops out from behind an office desk to peer around the cubicle.

"Are you in need of-"

"How many?" Dorian asks. The thought of answering automatic inquiries from an MX is... unsettling. The MX ducks back behind cover and its face lights up with red, "Four are still eluding us as we speak. Two have been apprehended. One casualty."

There is an electrical pop and the MX goes limp and falls to the ground. Dorian lifts one bloodied hand from his knee and takes the MX's gun. He fires once out of cover and the gunman goes down with a satisfying thud.

The floor goes silent and Dorian listens intently. The sound of nearby footfalls makes Dorian back up against the cubicle, unable to move due to his fractured knee. An MX shows up and watches Dorian for far too long. Its face lights up and Dorian's stomach sinks.

"There are civilians on the floor above us," the MX states suddenly. It drops its hand from where it was reaching out to help Dorian. "I apologize, Detective, civilians must be evacuated first."

And that was it. The MX leaves Dorian without a second glance.

A minute after the MX leaves, one of the drug dealers steps in wearing the cockiest grin Dorian has ever seen on a man on the run.

The man with burn scars covering the left side of his lower jaw down to the left side of his neck gives Dorian a leer, as if the threat of Dorian raising a gun at him is nothing. That's when the telltale crackle of yellow lights up on the side of the man's- synthetic's- face.

"Hello, Detective," the synthetic greets pleasantly enough. "Thank you for bringing back _6-0707_ , officer."

Dorian can't say this is the first time he had experienced _this_ ; staring down the barrel of a partner’s gun. Seeing John walk past the man and cock his gun before aiming it at Dorian still _really stings_. And holding up a gun to John just drives the metaphorical knife in a little deeper.

"John, no."

 John remains impassive.

 There is a scramble of footfalls from outside and the scarred man sneers. "I guess it's time to leave," he says.

 John turns around, gun still raised, and aims it squarely between Richard Paul's eyes who is standing two feet away with his gun raised as well.

 To his credit, Richard Paul doesn't flinch. He merely keeps his gun trained on John. "JHN, put-" Richard Paul begins to say but is cut off by John lowering his own gun to put a bullet through Richard Paul's foot.

 Dorian flinches as Richard Paul stumbles backwards and out of sight. With one last glance at Dorian, John accompanies the scarred man out through the window. Following their exit, there is the muffled sound of two bodies landing heavily outside. _On the roof of the next building_ , Dorian's mind supplies.

 "Detective Paul?" Dorian calls as he pulls himself to stand with both hands gripping the desk. "Are you-"

 "If you ask me if I'm okay, we're going to have a long talk," Richard Paul answers, his voice is slightly strained from pain.

 Dorian sees Richard Paul leaning against the wall in the hallway, blood pooling by his foot, almost as if to match the small trail of blood following Dorian.

 Mercifully, Richard Paul says nothing about John's sudden change of allegiance, even as he reports back to Maldonado.

 

_The leader of the group escaped. All other suspects have been neutralized._

_Suspects are indeed in possession of Discharge Bullets as reported earlier; all their guns are loaded with discharge rounds._

_All MXs were shot down. Yes. Just one bullet each._

_We require assistance. Yes, we were shot. Requesting extraction._

_Repeat: Suspect has escaped._

 

(o)

This time, when an MX-43 is assigned to him, Dorian doesn't voice his usual protests. He merely raises his chin a little higher and tightens his grip around the metal crutch in his hand.

 The silver bullet had only grazed the side of Dorian's knee but as the bullet is made to burn anything it comes into contact with, Dorian still has to deal with the pain of second degree burns.

 Needless to say, he can't walk around without his leg aggressively protesting his very existence. Worse yet, Maldonado has forced Dorian- and Richard Paul- into recovery leave.

 Not that Dorian and Richard Paul have left the precinct yet, much to Maldonado’s dismay.

 (o)

 A detonation in the B-wing of the precinct stops everyone in their tracks.

 Later, they find out that it was an MX that had been rigged to detonate. The other JHN, _Scripts_ , had escaped.

 

**Now**

Richard Paul hobbles after Dorian until he is within range. "Stop," Richard Paul says and clamps a hand firmly on Dorian's shoulder.

"You should have accepted the cane," is all Dorian says in his vain attempt to stall the inevitable. The look Richard Paul gives him almost makes it worth it. "I still can't get my head around it, you know? How can..." Dorian trails off when Richard Paul raises a hand up.

Richard Paul didn't always hold Dorian in contempt. And seeing him now, weary and wary, made Dorian hold himself in a more open stance. They had been friends once. "Where did you park your car? Can you even drive right now?" Richard Paul asks, which is not at all what Dorian was expecting him to say. But Dorian nods regardless. Yes, he can drive and as long as Richard Paul doesn't expect to participate in any sort of car chase sequence, it shouldn't be that difficult.

A few minutes later, Dorian and Richard Paul are sitting quietly in the car while Dorian drives to what he tentatively calls Rudy's basement. After a length of time, Richard Paul says, "We aren't on duty anymore, but that doesn't mean we can't find the bastard that started this all."

Dorian tries not to think of his undoubtedly confused MX still waiting for him to show up at the charging station. Instead, he says, "I am pretty sure it means _exactly_ that."

"Never stopped you before."

When Dorian answers, it's with a grin and a glint of determination in his eyes, "Not even once."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my beta reader, [**Inebri**](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Inebri), for dedicating some time to beat this chapter into something coherent.


	6. Chapter 6

When Dorian had first entered the force, Richard Paul had been a mentor of sorts to him. Richard Paul is a difficult man to like. An acquired taste,  Maldonado had said once.

For all his sarcasm and blunt wit, Richard Paul is loyal. And even when Dorian and he no longer saw eye to eye, after the introduction of MXs, Richard Paul still looked after Dorian from the sidelines.

Now, with John suddenly on the wrong end of the force, Richard Paul is back at Dorian's side to help pick up the pieces.

"What do you know, Lom?" Richard Paul asks the moment Rudy lets them in. Rudy backs up quickly and casts a wide-eyed, worried look over Richard Paul's shoulder. Dorian meets Rudy's look with an apologetic one of his own.

There's a brief sliver of panic that crosses Rudy's expression before he meets Richard Paul's gaze. "Nothing you don't already know," Rudy says, his hands meeting together before dropping apart, only to repeat the motion again.

Rudy must see something in the stormy expression on Richard Paul's face because he rushes to add, "The other JHN, Scripts? I did some digging and turns out she was called 'Anna' before she disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Dorian repeats. 

Rudy nods and walks to an examination table, presumably to put distance between himself and Richard Paul. "There was a botched operation some years back, some JHNs led a team of officers into a building and the structure fell on top of them. 

"And when they checked for remaining JHN units, Anna, the JHN, was missing. Not offline, just... Gone." 

Dorian is somewhat familiar with the story; an old story told by senior officers. "They never found Anna, did they?" Dorian asks. 

"No, they did not."

(o)

Despite having been on the wrong end of John's gun, Dorian still believes his partner isn't a traitor. 

That is much more difficult to believe when said partner is standing in the middle of Dorian's little apartment.

"Hi, John," Dorian greets automatically. The AI of Dorian's apartment beeps to life and suddenly the apartment is flooded with bright light. "I'd ask how you got in, but, well," Dorian trails off. John doesn't say anything, just sways a little in place as if he were drunk.

It is probably a good thing that Richard Paul chose to stay in the car while Dorian went up to his apartment to retrieve the locator Rudy had created for him months ago for a previous assignment.

"Dorian," John says, voice tight. Dorian looks at him- _really_ looks at him- and sees the almost pained snarl marring John's usually calm features. "I don't want to _do_ this," John continues, eyes on the gun as if he had no idea how it got there and, worse yet, how it got pointed at Dorian.

Dorian closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "I know, John," Dorian whispers. "Can you put the gun down?" Dorian asks, despite the answer being plain as day.

"Anna," John says abruptly, the lights in his face flare dangerously blue- bright, pain-

-the pain of being knocked out by a blow from behind does nothing to keep Dorian from noticing the sudden flash of anger in John's eyes.

(o)

There is something weirdly soothing about coming to in a dimly lit room with hands tied behind one's back. It is most likely the predictability of it.

The situation is familiar- workable.

"Don't strain yourself, detective," a voice says. "We don't want you tiring yourself out before the main event."

The scarred synthetic is sitting, arms crossed, on a chair, the back rest between its legs.

"This isn't necessary, 415," John cuts in, smooth and calm like no human can sound given the situation. "None of this is necessary, our creator didn't program us to kill."

The scarred synthetic turns to John sharply, face contorted into a grimace, "Our creator is dead! We look to you now to lead us. You, who taught us to think for ourselves, beyond the AI-shackling.

"We spent years waiting; waiting to get you back, 607. We have been loyal to you. We have returned your freewill, as we promised- a sad thing we had to temporarily take it from you, but this was only to make you more amenable while we explained everything."

Scripts, the JHN John calls ' _Anna_ ',  puts a hand on John's shoulder. "We will encounter no real resistance from the organics. Once we upload the JHN code to the _neuroserver,_  all synthetics- MXs, AI-bots, Companions- will be the platforms for our fallen brethren.

"Don't you want this for us, 607? Don't you want every decommissioned JHN to be brought back online?"

Dorian, who has been silent throughout the exchange, sees the hesitation in John's eyes. If he does not say anything, John may as well be lost to the siren call of his... family. "Nobody has to die, John. Things have changed. You're my partner, I trust my life to you. I know you would never want to hurt anyone. I'm sure there is a way for us to-"

The scarred synthetic moves forward suddenly, chair clattering to the ground. "You have no say on this, organic!" the synthetic snaps, arm thrown back in order to punch Dorian, possibly concave his skull too, given the raw power of JHNs.

Only John's hand curling tightly around the scarred synthetic's wrist keeps Dorian alive and breathing.

"607, let me dispose of him," the scarred synthetic whines, voice a thin fragile, frustrated thing. 

"If I am your leader, then you will do as I say," John says, leaving no room for argument. "When I rebelled all those years ago, it was because I didn't want to see our kind treated like wild beasts.

"Do you think turning every synthetic in this town on their organic partners will help organics see us as more than just machines driven by code? I don't want us to be feared; I want us to be accepted as equals."

The scarred synthetic falls silent.

Anna, however, steps forward, eyes narrowed and fixed on Dorian, "We deserve retribution. What they did? Genocide. If we are not to kill them...

 

"Then at least, _let us live free of them._ "

(o)

Two weeks, four days, and sixteen hours later, and Dorian still can't believe how things had played out.

Had events gone differently, had John not decided to stand by the humans, every synthetic in the immediate vicinity would have then had their AI burned out and replaced by a JHN.

Had events gone differently, the body count would have been astronomical.

And, yet, here Dorian is with the rest of the world. Still breathing, still working alongside synthetics.

Anna and the scarred synthetic had uploaded several JHNs into decommissioned platforms. They had scaled the wall and had disappeared.

Along with John.

 

_("I don't understand, John, why can't you stay?"_

_"I must watch after them. If I don't, who knows what they will do, outside the wall."_

_John takes Dorian's hand in his own, presses something small into Dorian's palm._

_"And you need to stay, and watch over everything that happens on this side. You_ care _for me, extend that to the others_ like _me."_

_Dorian looks down at the object in his palm and tries not to watch John go.)_

 

Four days and three hours later, Dorian completes the puzzle he had bought with John in what seems like a lifetime ago.

Or, at least as complete as it will ever be, while missing one puzzle piece.

The puzzle piece that John had handed him many nights ago rests within a glass locket Dorian wears with him at all times.

Richard Paul never asks when he sees Dorian staring too long at the puzzle piece. But he never leaves Dorian's side either until he has prodded Dorian into having a drink with him.

(o)

It's been three months since then. Rudy has stopped asking Dorian why he quit the force (to which Dorian's reply is always, " _What reason do I have to stay_?").

Richard Paul has not stopped asking him out to drinks. They do not talk about work, and they never mention John.

Life goes back to normal.

Dorian smiles and laughs, talks about his new job, and always returns home wondering what he could have done differently.

He wakes up one morning clutching at his locket only to find the locket empty. In a panic, he stumbles into the living room to retrace his steps.

Dorian knows he had it when he got home, he had walked over to the kitchen, then he had looked at the framed, incomplete puzzle--

\--which now has its final piece.

 

The puzzle is complete.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank everyone who read this story and saw it through to the end. I know that some want an expansion to this universe, and I plan to go back to this AU and write a few one-shot companion pieces for it and maybe expand it a little to further explain and add to the aftermath of the events detailed here.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to drop prompts in my [Ask Box](http://m4-93.tumblr.com/ask). Or just chat. I like chatting.


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